Culinary geography

Vietnam has three major regions with their own culinary style, but in all three regions the French cooking techniques and European ingredients are present.

North Vietnam
The north is more dependent on the season than the other two regions, and the Chinese influence in the cooking style is most present here. Pickled and dried food are used a lot. The Red River, Song Hong, is the main river in the north, which flows through China, Vietnam and into the Gulf of Tolkin.

Central Vietnam
Central Vietnam is a mix of North and South Vietnamese cuisine and known for its imperial and ancient capital Hue. Despite the lack of variety and agricultural products in this area, exceptional dishes were created to meet with the culinary desires of ruling emperors. Banh tet and Banh chung, New Year´s cake, is one of those creative dishes. The historical influence of the Cham, an ethnic group of the Champa Kingdom, is found in some dishes.

South Vietnam
The south has the most favorable climate and fresh herbs, vegetables and fruits are in abundance here. In the South Vietnamese recipes more herbs are used, and the south is more influenced by the Cambodian and Thai cuisine. The main area to the south is the Mekong Delta, Song Cuu Long, where the Mekong flows into the South China Sea.